Jesus Is Crucified

Simon of Cyrene. As the soldiers led Jesus away, “they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus” (23:26). Many Christians see Simon, walking behind Jesus with the cross, as a picture of following Him (Luke 9:23). Thinking of others. Women in the crowd mourned for Jesus. He turned and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children” (23:28). Even on the way to the cross, He was thinking of other people. With the criminals. Two criminals were led out with Him (23:32). Isaiah had written of God's Servant, “He was numbered with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). Transgressors are people who break God's law. Jesus, who never sinned, was counted as one of them. Father, forgive them. At the place called Calvary, “there they crucified Him” (23:33). Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (23:34). He prayed for the very people who were putting Him on the cross. His clothes. “And they divided His garments and cast lots” (23:34). John says this happened “that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 19:24). What this means for you. No one is too far away for Jesus to forgive. He prayed for the people who crucified Him, and He will forgive you when you come to Him. He also helps His people forgive others.

After Jesus. “On him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus” (23:26). Simon was “a Cyrenian,” from Cyrene in North Africa, “coming from the country.” Mark names his sons, “Alexander and Rufus” (Mark 15:21). Many Christians see Simon as a picture of every disciple, since Jesus had said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Weep for yourselves. “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children” (23:28). Jesus warned of days so hard that people would cry to the mountains, “Fall on us!” (23:30). Kranion. “When they had come to the place called Calvary” (23:33). Luke's Greek word is kranion (say: KRAH-nee-on), a skull. Calvary comes from the Latin word for a skull, and John says the place was “called in Hebrew, Golgotha” (John 19:17). Numbered with the transgressors. The criminals were crucified “one on the right hand and the other on the left” (23:33). Mark says that this fulfilled the Scripture, “And He was numbered with the transgressors” (Mark 15:28; Isaiah 53:12). The sinless One took His place among sinners. The first word from the cross. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (23:34). Them most likely means everyone who had a part: the soldiers, the rulers and the crowd. Isaiah's Servant “bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus did both on the cross, praying for sinners while He carried their sin. The garments. “And they divided His garments and cast lots.” John adds that the soldiers cast lots for His tunic, “that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: ‘They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots’ ” (John 19:24; Psalm 22:18). For you. Jesus asked forgiveness for people who had not asked for it. That is grace: mercy given before anyone deserves it. Receive it, and then give it to the people who wrong you.

Jesus did not have to go to the cross. He went because He loves us. Simon carried the cross and walked behind Jesus. Many Christians see Simon as a picture of following Jesus. On the way, Jesus still cared about other people. He told the crying women to think about their children. Two criminals were put on crosses beside Jesus. Long before, Isaiah wrote, “He was treated like a criminal.” Jesus never did wrong, yet He took the place of wrongdoers. Then Jesus prayed for the people who put Him there. He asked God to forgive them, not to punish them. Jesus still forgives people who come to Him today.

Simon carried the cross behind Jesus. Then Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them.” Jesus forgives everyone who comes to Him!

Save Yourself. “And the people stood looking on” (23:35). The rulers sneered, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” The soldiers mocked Him too: “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself” (23:36-37). For everyone to read. John says, “many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city” (John 19:20). People who spoke different languages could all read who Jesus is. He stayed. Jesus had the power to come down, but He stayed on the cross to save us. The sign. “And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (23:38). Matthew calls it “the accusation written against Him” (Matthew 27:37). The chief priests asked Pilate to change it, but he answered, “What I have written, I have written” (John 19:22). The true King. The sign was meant to shame Jesus, but it told the truth. He is the King, and He showed His power by love, not by coming down. What this means for you. When people make fun of Jesus, or of you for following Him, remember that He stayed on the cross for you. Do not be ashamed of your King.

Looking on. “And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered” (23:35). Matthew says “those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads” (Matthew 27:39). He saved others. The rulers said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God” (23:35). He could have come down, and He stayed. The chosen of God. God had called His Servant “My Elect One in whom My soul delights!” (Isaiah 42:1), and Matthew tells us Jesus is that Servant (Matthew 12:18). The rulers mocked Him with the Servant's own title. Sour wine. “The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine” (23:36). The inscription. “An inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew” (23:38). John writes, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:19). Hebrew was the language of the Jewish people, Greek was spoken across the eastern part of the empire, and Latin was the language of Rome. Many read it, “for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city” (John 19:20). What I have written. The chief priests asked Pilate to write, “He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews’ ” (John 19:21). Pilate refused: “What I have written, I have written” (John 19:22). The King on a cross. He showed His kingly power by staying, not by coming down. For you. Following this King can bring mockery. Remember who stayed for you, and do not be ashamed of Him.

Many people stood and watched Jesus on the cross. The leaders laughed at Him. They said, “Let him save himself.” The soldiers said almost the same thing. Jesus had the power to come down from the cross. But He stayed, because He came to save us. If He had saved Himself, He could not save us. A sign at the top of the cross named Him. It called Him the king of the Jews. John tells us the sign was in three languages. The sign told the truth. Jesus really is the King. He is the King who gave His life for His people.

People made fun of Jesus. A sign said He was the King. Jesus is the King who saves us!

Two men. Two criminals were crucified with Jesus, one on each side, and they answered Him in very different ways. The first man. One of them “blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us’ ” (23:39). To blaspheme is to speak against God. The second man. The other said, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?” (23:40). He admitted his sin: “we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds” (23:41). And he said that Jesus “has done nothing wrong.” Remember me. Then he said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (23:42). He believed Jesus was a King, even while Jesus was dying on a cross. Today, with Me. Jesus answered, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (23:43). Paradise is the place where God's people are with Him. By the cross. John tells us that some who loved Jesus stood near: “His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). His mother. John tells us that Jesus saw His mother near the cross and said to her, “Woman, behold your son!” and to the disciple He loved, “Behold your mother!” (John 19:26-27). Even on the cross, Jesus made sure she would be cared for. What this means for you. No one is too bad for Jesus to save. Turn to Him, and ask Him to remember you. He will.

The same condemnation. Both criminals were “under the same condemnation” (23:40), and both were beside Jesus. Matthew says that “the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing” (Matthew 27:44). It seems that at first both joined in, and then one of them changed. Save Yourself and us. The first man “blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us’ ” (23:39). He wanted rescue from the cross, not rescue from his sin. He spoke up. The second man rebuked the first: “Do you not even fear God?” (23:40). He said they were punished justly, “but this Man has done nothing wrong” (23:41). Faith in a dying King. “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (23:42). He trusted a crucified Man as the King whose kingdom was still to come. Paradeisos. “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (23:43). The word is paradeisos (say: pa-RAH-day-soss), first a word for a garden or park. Revelation promises “the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). Best of all, Jesus promised “with Me.” By the cross. “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). Behold your mother. John records that Jesus gave His mother into the care of the disciple He loved: “And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:27). For you. The same Jesus who welcomed a dying criminal welcomes you today. Come to Him with empty hands.

Two criminals were on crosses beside Jesus. Both of them were close to Jesus. But they said very different things. One man shouted insults at Jesus. The other man knew he had done wrong. He said he deserved his punishment. He also knew that Jesus had done nothing wrong. He believed Jesus was a King with a kingdom. So he asked Jesus to remember him. He simply trusted Jesus. Jesus promised him, “Today you will be with me in paradise!” Jesus’ mother stood near His cross. Jesus asked His close friend to take care of her. Jesus saves everyone who trusts Him.

A man on a cross asked Jesus to remember him. Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in paradise!” Jesus saves everyone who trusts Him.

Darkness at noon. “There was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour” (23:44). That was from about noon until three. My God, My God. Matthew and Mark tell us Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46), the first words of Psalm 22. He was carrying the punishment for our sins, so that God will never forsake those who trust Him. It is finished. John tells us that Jesus said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). The work His Father gave Him to do was complete. The veil. “The veil of the temple was torn in two” (23:45). The veil was the curtain in front of the Most Holy Place, where God showed His presence. Only the high priest could go behind it, “alone once a year” (Hebrews 9:7). Matthew says it was torn “from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). The way is open. We come to God “by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil” (Hebrews 10:20). Because Jesus died for us, the way to God is open. Into Your hands. Jesus cried out, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit’ ” (23:46). He trusted His Father to the end. The centurion “glorified God” (23:47), and the women from Galilee watched from a distance (23:49). What this means for you. Jesus finished the work of saving us, and you can come to God through Him. On the third day, He would rise again.

Darkness. “There was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour” (23:44), from about noon until three. Luke adds, “Then the sun was darkened” (23:45). The cry of Psalm 22. Mark records it: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34). Jesus prayed the first line of Psalm 22. Paul tells us what was happening on the cross: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Tetelestai. “Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I thirst!’ ” Then He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:28-30). The word is tetelestai (say: teh-TEL-es-tie): it is completed, it stands finished. Jesus had said that “all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished” (Luke 18:31). The thirst too was written: “And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalm 69:21). Katapetasma. “The veil of the temple was torn in two” (23:45). Veil is katapetasma (say: kah-tah-PET-as-mah), a curtain spread across an opening. God told Moses, “The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy” (Exodus 26:33). Behind it the high priest went “alone once a year, not without blood” (Hebrews 9:7). Matthew and Mark say it was torn “from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38). A new and living way. Hebrews says we enter God's presence “by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Jesus Himself is the way through. Into Your hands. “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” These are the words of Psalm 31:5. Mark says He “breathed His last” (Mark 15:37), and John says, “bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). Witnesses. The centurion “glorified God, saying, ‘Certainly this was a righteous Man!’ ” (23:47), and Mark records him saying, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39). His acquaintances and the women “stood at a distance, watching these things” (23:49). The same women would soon see where He was laid (23:55). For you. The work is finished and the way is open. Come to God through Jesus, and wait for the morning of the third day.

At noon the whole land became dark. It stayed dark for three hours. A curtain in the Temple hung before the Most Holy Place. That was the special room for God’s presence. Only the high priest could go in, once a year. The curtain showed that sin keeps people away from God. When Jesus died, that curtain was torn in two. The Bible says Jesus opened a new way to God. Jesus cried out, “Father, I give you my life.” Then He died. An army officer saw it and praised God. This sad day would not be the end!

The land became dark. A curtain in the Temple tore in two. Now we can come close to God through Jesus!